Zara's fingers trembled as she flipped to the next page in the diary.
"He saved me. I don't know how he found me, but he did. I was screaming, barefoot, bleeding. And then I saw him. Khalid. He killed them before they could touch me. I don't know why they wanted me. But that night... I stopped fearing him."
The words bled through her chest like a wound reopening. Saved her? From who?
Zara leaned back against the pillows, trying to breathe. Her thoughts twisted in on themselves. If that night really happened-if Khalid protected her-was that the beginning of everything?
A sudden sound cracked through her skull.
Gunshots.
She flinched.
A flash. Darkness. Her bare feet slapping against pavement. Breath ragged. Blood on her arm. Shouts.
"Zara!"
His voice. Sharp. Commanding. Close.
Then: silence.
Her pulse roared. The memory came in fragments-like a scratched film. Not enough to make sense. Just enough to make her knees weak.
---
Later, in the rose garden behind the mansion, Khalid offered her his arm.
"Walk with me."
It wasn't a request.
Zara slid her hand into his, the mask firmly on.
The scent of cut stems and soil filled the air. He moved slowly, like they had nowhere to be. A couple in love. A lie on display.
"You don't remember the island, do you?" he asked, eyes forward.
"No," she said, cautiously.
He gave a soft hum. "We were there for two weeks. Private beach. Just us. You cried on the second night."
"Why?"
"You said you'd never felt safe before me."
Zara looked at him, pretending to be moved. "That doesn't sound like me."
He stopped walking. Turned to her. "You said people had used you your whole life. That even your family only saw what they could gain. You said I was the only one who looked at you and saw you."
The way he said it-quiet, sincere, almost gentle-made her chest ache. It was too easy to imagine. Too easy to believe.
What if I did say that? What if I meant it?
Zara forced a tear to her eye and looked down.
Khalid's thumb brushed her cheek.
"Don't cry," he said softly. "Not for something that's still yours."
---
That evening, Amina didn't speak to her once. She hovered nearby, watchful and silent. When Zara asked for water, Amina brought it without a word.
Something had shifted.
The questions. The hallway. The locked door.
Zara knew the woman was watching her, tracking her like a handler. She had to be more careful.
She waited until after midnight to slip out of bed.
Khalid's office was two floors down-dark oak, heavy furniture, cold lighting. She picked the lock to the outer door easily; the inner drawers took longer.
The desk was unnervingly neat. A vault of secrets hidden in plain sight.
Then she saw it.
A black USB drive tucked beneath a pile of financial reports. No label. Just her initials: Z.A.
Zara picked it up, heart in her throat.
Before she could plug it into the laptop, she felt it-
A shift in the air.
A presence.
She turned too late.
Khalid stood in the doorway.
He didn't speak. Just stared at her. The USB still in her hand.
Her breath caught.
He walked in, slow, deliberate. Closed the door behind him.
"I thought we were past this," he said quietly.
"I needed answers," she whispered. "I deserve to know."
He didn't raise his voice. He didn't have to. The silence between them vibrated like a wire pulled tight.
"What do you think is on that drive?" he asked.
"I don't know. My life? My memories? Something you didn't want me to find?"
Khalid stepped closer.
Her back hit the wall.
He stopped in front of her, inches away. One hand on the wall beside her head. The other slowly reaching for the drive in her hand.
But he didn't take it.
He just looked at her. Into her. Like he was searching for something she didn't even know she was hiding.
"You think you're the only one confused?" he murmured. "You think this is easy for me?"
She wanted to shove him away. But her body didn't move.
His voice dropped lower. Velvet and poison.
"You're not ready to know everything yet. But I promise..."
He leaned in, lips grazing her ear, the warmth of him curling around her like smoke.
"When the truth comes out, you'll never be able to walk away."
And for one terrifying, dizzy second-
Zara wasn't sure she wanted to.
A Virgin For The Mafia Prince
Elena's world takes a wild spin when the rugged Mafia prince, Dante, chooses to wed her over her cousin, Antonia. Facing her abusive family's wrath for allegedly enchanting the mafia prince, Elena's heart remains loyal to her true love, Isaac, whom she plans to escape with. Against her wishes, Dante seals their marriage fate, leaving Elena helpless. Yet, Dante's love for her is boundless, until a sudden twist frames her for betrayal. Unfazed, Dante turns cold and ruthless, opting to marry her cousin. As Dante's cruelty escalates, a shocking revelation unveils the truth behind the false accusation. But it's too late – Elena's heart, once warmed by their love, turns icy. Despite Dante's desperate attempts to mend their shattered connection, the wounds of betrayal threaten to forever shatter their once-promising love story.
Pregnant By The Cursed Mafia Alpha
Evelyn Stone never believed in werewolves-until the night she witnessed one rip through a rival mafia boss. That night, her world turned upside down. Her family, known as the Stones, control the weapons trade in New York. Her father's dying wish? For her to marry into peace with their rival mafia clan, the powerful, secretive Romano family. But there's a catch. Luca Romano isn't just the heir to a criminal empire. He's a cursed Alpha-part of a bloodline bound to the moon, violent instincts, and a past soaked in blood. To the world, he's a businessman. But in the shadows, he rules a pack that obeys only him. Evelyn becomes his bride in a forced alliance, not knowing Luca's secret. He didn't expect to fall for her. And she didn't expect to crave the darkness inside him. But when an old prophecy resurfaces-declaring Evelyn as the "Blood Moon Mate" whose child would either end or enslave the werewolf race-both sides of the war want her dead. And the only man who can protect her... is the monster she's falling in love with. Now, Evelyn must choose: Run from the beast, or rule beside him.
THE DEVIL WEARS MY RING
Sold to the cruelest mafia lord in Italy, Ariana wears his ring but not his heart. Trapped in a marriage built on blood and betrayal, she dreams of escape with her secret lover. But when the truth unravels, she realizes... The devil she fears may be the only man who can save her. And the one she trusted? Might destroy her.
My Dear, Valentine
If I run away, only death will be waiting to catch me, but if I stay here, I will deeply long for that death. Valentine is trapped and doesn't know how to break free from the grip of Madam Claire, the owner of the brothel who is about to sell her to her first customer. Can Valentine trust someone who claims he will help her escape Madam Claire's brothel, when that very man is actually her first customer?
WHEN LOVE WORKS
Lia, a twenty-one year old lady from a wealthy mafia Italian family finally finds love in a rival mafia family. After much persuasion she and her lover, Franco are able to convince their families that their love for each other was real and deep and they later get married. However, on their wedding day Franco starts to behave strangely. He is not the man that Lia used to know when they were dating. He changes from the sweet loving and caring gentleman that he was while they courted to an arrogant and abusive husband. Franco opens up to Lia's elder brother, Lorenzo, on their wedding day that he won't be the husband that Lia had always dreamed of. He promises to make her life a misery. Lorenzo is shocked by Franco's openness particularly as they were just getting married and tries to persuade Lia to call off the wedding. Lia does not listen to Lorenzo because according to her it was not news that the Franco's family was a rival mafia family. She believed that they had crossed that hurdle successfully when both families agreed to their marriage. She dismisses Lorenzo's warnings which she thought were based on that ground. Lorenzo, however, goes on to tell the rest of the family what Franco had told him personally. After the wedding, Lia begins to experience what Lorenzo her brother tried to warn her about. Franco had started abusing her both physically and verbally. However, Lia not knowing the reason for this sudden change in her husband was determined to keep her marriage. Two years after their wedding, she still had not conceived. This she attributed to the lack of peace and love she was experiencing in her marriage. Her love for Franco however was still very strong and she was determined to make her marriage work. One day she came back from shopping at noon to find Franco, her husband stark naked with another lady on their matrimonial bed. This was when she realized that her relationship with Franco had so much degenerated. She decided to leave him for a while until he was willing and ready to get help to restore their union. Lia ends up going back to her father's house. Her brother Lorenzo one day discovers some scars and bruises on his sister's body giving him a clearer picture of what she had been through while she was with Franco. He accuses her of lying and covering up for Franco all this while. Against Lia's wish he reveals it to the family and vows to avenge every pain Franco had put his sister through. Franco on the other hand does not change his ways. He decides to continue to have all the fun in his life believing that Lia's love for him would soon make her come back begging once she comes back to her senses. Her brother tries to persuade her to divorce Franco, but she refuses as she still loved Franco very much. This only infuriated Lorenzo the more. He swore he would kill Franco for breaking his sister's heart and taking his family for granted. He goes ahead to advise Lia not to bother thinking of going back to Franco because to him Franco was already a dead man. During a family gathering she begs her family to help her save her marriage as that was the only reason why she left her home in the first place. What had caused the sudden change in Lia's husband, Franco? Would Lia be able to restore the love she was sure Franco once had for her? Can she save Franco from Lorenzo's anger and promise to avenge every pain he had put her through? Read this compelling story to find out if true love is enough to bring about the love, peace and harmony Lia desires.
The Mafia King's Alluring Affection
"No one can please you like I do, Amorina." He whispered against her lips. "Don't go to any other man unless you want to attend his funeral." *** Janet Corrigan left behind her life in New Orleans and ventured to Springfield in search of her father, who served as the Capo of the infamous Italian Mafia family. Unfortunately, she became a target for her father's adversaries and was abducted to be sold to the Russian mafia. Just when she was about to give up hope of escaping the darkness, the future Mafia King appeared in her life like a knight in disguise. Sebastian Genovese was arranged to marry Larisa Sherian, a mafia princess, to solidify his dominance and power. However, everything fell apart when Janet came into his life and completely derailed his plans. Her allure was akin to a forbidden fruit, and his irresistible affection knew no bounds. She was his heaven in hell. But one fateful night, everything changed when Janet watched Sebastian ruthlessly murdering her father. She realized her father's warnings about him were true and she vowed to destroy the Genovese family. In the dead of the night, Janet vanished, taking something precious from Sebastian Genovese: his unborn child. Will destiny reunite them again, or is this the final chapter of their story? Find out for yourself!